Psychological and behavioral disorders such as ADHD, are mostly treated with synthetic drugs or combinations of synthetic drugs.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder affecting about 4-12% of children, beginning by age six to twelve and manifesting itself by attention, hyperactivity or impulsive acting problems. ADHD continues into adulthood for approximately 50% of those diagnosed in childhood (J. Clin. Psychiatry 2004; 65[suppl 3]:27-37), M. D. Weiss). Boys are diagnosed with ADHD three times more than girls.
A significant percentage of children diagnosed with ADHD continue to suffer from its symptoms also as adults, one of the main symptoms being restlessness.
Generally, ADHD is managed by one or more of counseling, lifestyle changes and medication.
Medication for ADHD includes treatment with stimulants such as methylphenidate and amphetamines. In addition, non-stimulants such as atomoxetine, guanfacine and clonidine may also be used.
Commercial ADHD stimulant drugs include: Adderall and Adderall X R, Concerta, Dexedrine, Focalin and Focalin X R, Metadate C D and Metadate E R, Methylin and Methylin E R, Ritalin, Ritalin S R, Ritalin L A, Vyvanse, Daytrana and Quillivant X R. Only some of the above drugs are FDA-approved for use in adults.
Non-stimulant ADHD drugs include Strattera, Intuniv and Kapvay.
When stimulants and nonstimulants are not effective or well-tolerated or when certain conditions are present, several other medications are available to treat ADHD. These medications include: Elavil, Norpramin, Pamelor, Tofranil or other tricyclic antidepressants, Catapres, Duraclon, Nexiclon, Tenex, Wellbutrin.
All the above drugs are single or fixed dose combinations of synthetic drugs.
Common side-effects of the above drugs include: decreased appetite, weight loss, sleep problems, headaches and jitteriness. In addition, sometimes more serious side-effects are observed, like an increased risk of cardiovascular problems.
The multitude of the drugs used for ADHD treatment highlights the fact that there is no single drug which is both highly effective and devoid of side-effects.
In addition to ADHD, other disorders with psychological and/or behavioral components in need of a herbal composition treatment include depression, autism, mood disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, cognitive impairment (such as in Alzheimer's disease) and motor neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson's disease).
There is thus an unmet need for a highly effective herbal treatment for disorders of this type, especially ADHD in both children and adults, that is essentially devoid of side-effects.